Electrical connector



Jan. 14, 1958 H. D. PETRl 2,820,210

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed Dec. 14, 1954 \NVENTQR'. HECTOR D. PETRM ATTORNEY.

United States Patent ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Hector D. Petri, Framingham, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application December 14, 1954, Serial No. 475,049 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-156) This invention relates generally to electrical connectors.

The object of the invention is to provide a connector which is adapted to receive a plug on one side and a group of lead wires on the other to complete an electric circuit therebetween.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connector in which a contact member is provided therein with spaced resilient portions for receiving circuit completing means from opposite sides of the connector.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be obvious, and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a connector embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the connector of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a contact member for use in the connector of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the contact member of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of the contact member of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the connector of Fig. 1 with lead wires and a cooperating plug member assembled therewith; and

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation partly in section of the assembly of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a connector 10, which is adapted for receiving a series of lead wires 12 on one side and a plug type connector 14 on the other side to complete an electric circuit therebetween.

The connector comprises a body 16 formed of insulating material, having a series of apertures in one face 18, each of which comprises an elongated slot 20 with enlarged cylindrical portions 22 and 24 at the ends thereof. The other face 26 is provided with apertures 28, each of which is aligned with and connects to an enlarged portion 22.

To provide means in the body for completing an electric circuit between the plug 14 and the lead wires 12, contact members 30 are assembled into the apertures, each of which comprise a medial portion 32 disposed in the slot 20 and semi-cylindrical resilient portions 34 and 36 at opposite ends of the medial portions. The portion 34 is adapted to receive and resiliently engage a pin 39 extending from the plug 14, and the portion 36 is provided with embossed threads 38-to engage a screw 40 to attach an apertured terminal 42 disposed on the end of a lead wire 12. To retain the connector in assembly in the body, a portion 44 is sheared from the medial portion to "ice 2 provide a projecting edge 46 for digging into engage ment with the wall of the elongated slot when the contact is assembled with the body.

The cylindrical portions 22 are particu arly subjected to axial forces during insertion and withdrawal of the pins 36 and to resist such forces, the cylindrical portion 22 is provided with flared tang portions 48 at the lower end thereof which dig into the surounding wall when the cylindrical portion is expanded by assembly of the pin therein.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the apertures in the face 18 are uniformly disposed about the center of the body and are inclined in relation to a radius thereof, so that each threaded cylindrical portion 24 is spaced both radially and circumferentially from the corresponding cylindrical portion 22.

This arrangement permits a relatively close spacing of the plug pin apertures, yet allows a greater spacing of the apertures in the opposite side of the body for receiving the threaded members without greatly increasing the size of the body.

In the illustrated embodiment, the body is provided with an axial flange 50 disposed about the periphery on the face 18 and a series of separating webs 52 extending radially from the flange to intersect at a center point. Apertures 54 are provided in the flange 50 to permit the lead wires to pass therethrough.

Although the illustrated connector is provided with three sets of contact members, other numbers may be provided depending on the requirements of the particular case.

Since certain other obvious modifications may be made in the device without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

A connector comprising a body formed of insulating material, said body having an aperture formed in one face thereof, the aperture having enlarged portions at the ends and an elongated slot between the enlarged portions, said body having an opening extending from the other face in alignment with and connecting to one of the enlarged portions of the aperture, and a contact member disposed in said aperture, said contact member formed from a single piece of metal and having a medial portion disposed in the elongated slot, an end portion bent to provide a smooth contact pin-receiving portion located in the said enlarged portion in alignment with the said opening to receive a contact pin, and the other end portion bent and threaded to receive a screw and located in the other enlarged portion of said aperture, and said medial portion of said contact member and said body adjacent to the elongated slot having interengaging portions providing the only means holding the said contact member in said aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,072,952 Jones Mar. 9, 1937 2,106,595 Draving Jan. 25, 1938 2,296,633 Falge Sept. 22, 1942 2,567,829 Suthann Sept. 11, 1951 2,694,799 Del Camp Nov. 16, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 334,310 Great Britain Sept. 4, 1930 

